Every man to be allowed daily provisions, as follows, viz.
Sunday. One Pound of biscuit, one gallon of small beer, one pound of pork, and half-a-pint of pease.
Monday. One pound of biscuit, one gallon of small beer, one pint of oat-meal, two ounces of butter, and four ounces of cheese.
Tuesday. One pound of biscuit, one gallon of small beer, and to pounds of beef.
Wednesday. One pound of biscuit, one gallon of small beer, half a-pint of pease, a pint of oat-meal, two ounces of butter, and four ounces of cheese.
Thursday. The same as Sunday.
Friday. The same as Wednesday.
Saturday. The same as Tuesday.
Hence the full weekly allowances per man (besides fresh fish caught, and distributed without any deduction for the same) is,
| Seven pounds of biscuit, | One quart of pease, |
| Seven gallons of beer, | Three pints of oat meal, |
| Two pounds of pork, | Six ounces of butter, |
| Four pounds of beef. | Twelve ounces of cheese. |
Captains may shorten this allowance, if necessity require it, taking due care that men be paid for the deficiency; nor is any officer to have whole allowance while the company is at short.
In foreign voyages some of the above species may be changed, that is, half-a-pint of brandy, rum, or arrack, for a gallon of beer: four pounds of flour, sometimes three pounds, with a pound of raisins, or galf-a-pound of currants, with half-a-pound of beef-suet pickled, are equal to a four-pound piece of beef, or two pound piece of pork with pease; half-a-pound of rice for a pint of oat-meal; a pint of olive-oil for a pound of butter or two pounds of Suffolk cheese; two-thirds of a pound of Cheshire-cheese for a pound of Suffolk.
Beef is cut into four-pound pieces, and pork into two, and every cask is to have the contents thereof marked on the head.
Every twenty-eighth pieces of beef cut for four pound pieces, taken out as they rise, and the salt shaken off, are to weigh one hundred pounds avoirdupois, and every fifty-six pieces of pork one hundered and four pounds.
If there be a want of pork, the captain may order three pounds of beef to be given out in lieu of two pounds of pork.
One day in every week, there shall be issused out a proportion of flour and suet in lieu of beef, but this is not to extend beyond four months victuallyng at a time.
Only three months butter and chesse shall be supplied for foreign voyages, the remainder to be made up in olive-oil.
One tun of iron-bound casks for water, and a bundle of wooden hoops, is allowed for every hundred men per month, in home voyages; but, in foreign voyages, such farther quantity as shall be thought necessary.
In home voyages, half the proportion of beer is to be contained in iron-bound casks; but, in foreign voyages, three-fourths; and every cask is to have the contents marked on the head in gallons, Winchester measure.
To prevent the buying of casks abroad, all casks (in foreign voyages) are to be new.
Provisions (if necessary require it) may be supplied, by order of the commander-in-chief, to the agent; and, in urgent cases, a captain, by his warrant, may supply the same.
Victualling-vessels, consigned to one ship, may not be stopt by a captain belonging to another to take any part of her lading; they are also to be unladen with dispatch, and sent away.
Provisions are to be sent on-board without charge to the purser; and the masters of such vessels are to see the same delivered into the slings of the ship they are consigned to, by careful men belonging to the ship; and must also deliver to the captain a proper and perfect bill of lading.
If any provisions slip out of the sling, or are damaged through carelessness, the captain is to charge the value against the wages of the offender.
No provisions are to be refused until the captain or commanding-officer shall cause the same to be surveyed; and, if they then appear unfit for use, he is then to return them, together with the original survey.
Provisions are frequently to be inspected (in foreign voyages), and all proper care taken for the preservation thereof.
Provisions spared to another ship, in due form, is to be made good by a new supply from the agent at the next port, upon producing the proper order.
Fresh meat is to be allowed twice a week (when it van be conveniently done), instead of salt meat; three pounds of mutton accounted for a four-pound piece of beef, or a two-pound piece of pork with pease.
Prize-provisions may be issued to his majesty's ships, if in want, (and those good whilst any of the ship's provisions of the same species are remaining.
Steel, David: The Ship-Master's Assistant, and Owner's Manual; Containing Complete Information, as well to Merchants, Masters of Ships, and persons employed in the Merchant-service, as to officers and others in private Ships of War, &c. Relative to the Mercantile and Maritime Laws and Customs. ...
Eighth Edition Considerably Improved and enlarged the whole compiled from undoubted authority and acts of Parliament faithfully abridged by David Steel Jun. Barrister at Law.
Printed for David Steel at the Navigation Warehouse, London, 1799.
Transcribed by Lars Bruzelius.
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